Patent GB-904337-A (GB)
Title: The production of textile structures having a stable configuration
IPC: D06M14/18
Filed: 1959-04-30
Abstract: A textile having a recoverable configuration is obtained by wetting out a textile structure consisting of fibres of a graft copolymer of an organic linear fibre-forming polymer substrate with grafted polymeric side chains distributed throughout the cross-sectional area of the fibres, the side chains being derived from one or more monomers which, if polymerized in the absence of the polymeric substrate, would give a polymer which is soluble or highly swellable in the wetting out liquid, the nature of the graft polymer being such that it is insoluble in the wetting out liquid, the wetting out being effected at a temperature below that at which substantial degradation or melting of the graft copolymer would occur, and then setting the textile structure by drying or cooling it while it is in the desired configuration.  The fibre forming polymer may be a synthetic condensation polymer such as 66-nylon, 6-nylon, a polyurea, a polyurethane, a polyester or a polysulphonamide; a synthetic addition polymer derived from N-vinyl pyrrolidone, N- methyl-N-vinyl formamide, styrene, an acrylic ester, vinyl chloride, vinylidene chloride, vinyl acetate, a vinyl ketone, a vinyl ether, divinyl ether, a halogen-, sulphur-, nitrogen-, or phosphorus containing vinyl compound, a vinyl silane, ethylene, propylene, an allyl ester, acrylonitrile or methacrylonitrile; or natural fibres such as cotton, flax, jute, silk, wool, fur, hair, rubber, leather, wood, regenerated cellulose or cellulose acetate.  The monomers from which the side chains are derived are preferably vinyl compounds which will form water-soluble ionic salts such as acrylic, methacrylic, ethylacrylic, crotonic, propiolic and styrene-carboxylic acids; or unsaturated sulphonic acids, unsaturated alkyl or aralkyl acid phosphates, phosphites, phosphonates and phosphinates, acid alkyl sulphates and carbonates with unsaturated carbon-carbon bonds. The process may be used in making continuous filament crepe yarns and stretch yarns, in the waving and straightening of human hair and in alarm and automatic control devices which utilise the change in configuration when exposed to solvator of a structure having a latent recoverable configuration.  The fibres may be rendered more resistant to wrinkling by treatment with formaldehyde at 100 DEG -250 DEG C. in the presence of ammonium hypophosphite, oxalic acid, ammonium chloride, maleic acid, p. toluene sulphonic acid, phosphoric acid or calcium chloride. Specifications 868,651 and 901,038 are referred to.ALSO:A textile having recoverable configuration is obtained by wetting out a textile structure consisting of fibres of a graft copolymer of an organic linear fibre-forming polymer substrate with grafted polymeric side chains distributed throughout the cross-sectional area of the fibres, the side chains being derived from one or more monomers which, if polymerized in the absence of the polymeric substrate, would give a polymer which is soluble or highly swellable in the wetting out liquid, the nature of the graft polymer being such that it is insoluble in the wetting out liquid, the wetting out being effected at a temperature below that at which substantial degradation or melting of the graft copolymer would occur, and then setting the textile structure by drying or cooling it while it is in the desired configuration.  The fibre forming polymer may be a synthetic condensation polymer such as 66-nylon, 6-nylon, a polyurea, a polyurethane, a polyester or a polysulphonamide; a synthetic addition polymer derived from N-vinyl pyrrolidone, N-methyl-N-vinyl formamide, styrene, an acrylicester, vinyl chloride, vinylidene chloride, vinyl acetate, a vinyl ketone, a vinyl ether, divinyl ether, a halogen-, sulphur-, nitrogen-, or phosphorus-containing vinyl compound, a vinyl silane, ethylene, propylene, an allyl ester, acrylonitrile or methacrylonitrile; or natural fibres such as cotton, flax, jute, silk, wool, hair, rubber, regenerated cellulose or cellulose acetate.  The monomers from which the side chains are derived are preferably vinyl compounds which will form water-soluble ionic salts such as acrylic, methacrylic, ethylacrylic, crotonic, propiolic and styrene-carboxylic acids; or unsaturated sulphonic acids; unsaturated alkyl or aralkyl acid phosphates, phosphites, phosphonates and phosphinates, acid alkyl sulphates, and carbonates with unsaturated carbon-carbon bonds.  The process may be used in making continuous filament crepe yarns and stretch yarns, in the waving and straightening of human hair, and in alarm and automatic control devices which utilise the change in configuration when exposed to solvator of a structure having a latent recoverable configuration.  The fibres may be rendered more resistant to wrinkling by treatment with formaldehyde at 100-250 DEG C. in the presence of ammonium hypophosphite, oxalic acid, ammonium chloride, maleic acid, p-toluene sulphonic acid, phosphoric acid or calcium chloride.  Specifications 868,651 and 901,038 are referred to.